Notes writer Michaela Trimble: “First brought to Sri Lanka in the 1800s during British colonization and only increasing in reverence after a country-wide coffee blight, Ceylon Silver Tip tea is now world-renowned.

“While the island also produces spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, pepper, Sri Lanka’s tea industry continues to be a vital player in the country’s economy and one of the main sources of foreign exchange.”

“It’s almost always shrouded in an ethereal mist, and offers the perfect perch to view the rolling hills from above: a stay at Taylors Hill ensures you have intimate access to the best of Kandy’s tea country.”

She also visits the neighbouring Loolecondera Estate, where James Taylor began Sri Lanka’s first tea factory in 1872 with the assistance of Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton brand tea.

“Now the company is run by Sri Lankans, who will give you an introduction to the trade; women wear pastel pink and purple saris as they shuffle tea plants through a series of steps, separating the tea by grade.”

Before it becomes the coveted Ceylon Silver Tip Tea, this process of diligent selection must be done. Much of the equipment at the facility offers a glimpse into the past, relics from British occupation.